'Window to China' Project

The British Library and the National Library of China are two of the world's greatest libraries and have worked together for many years on a range of initiatives.

The British Library is a grateful beneficiary of the National Library of China's 'Window to China' Project. Founded in 2006, the Project presents China imprint books (both Chinese language and European language texts) to national libraries and other institutions around the world.

The British Library's Director of Scholarship and Collections, Ronald Milne, and Yan Xiangdong, Director of the International Cooperation Division of the National Library of China, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2008, and under this agreement the National Library of China will present approximately 1000 publications to the British Library over the course of the Project which will run until 2010.

Curators from our Chinese and Social Science collections select titles from a list provided by the National Library of China. To date the Library has received nearly 600 titles covering subjects such as China’s traditional culture and history and its economic and social development; collections of government publications; and works related to environmental policies, technological developments and energy issues.

The European language titles presented under the 'Window to China' Project are available for consultation in our reading rooms and can be found on Explore the British Library; the Chinese language catalogue records can be found in the UK Union Catalogue of Chinese Books.

Window to China reception

Chief Executive, Dame Lynne Brindley and Sir Colin Lucas, Chairman of the British Library, with Ms Chang Pejun, Deputy Director of the National Library of China, welcomed His Excellency Lui Xiaoming, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, to the British Library on Tuesday 11 May 2010 for a reception to mark the successful completion of the Window to China Project.

Under the ‘Window to China’ scheme, the National Library of China offers major national libraries around the world the opportunity to select a generous range of key China imprints for their collections. The British Library has received nearly 600 titles covering subjects such as: China’s traditional culture and history, its economic and social development, along with collections of government publications, and works related to environmental policies, technological developments and energy issues.

The event also celebrated the close cooperation between the British Library and the National Library of China under the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions. and to celebrate the close cooperation between the British Library and the National Library of China under the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.

Ms Chang, Deputy Director of the National Library of China, with Sir Colin, His Excellency Liu Xiaoming and Lynne Brindley